Manipur Government warned fishermen using LED bulbs at Loktak lake

Imphal: Manipur Government warned fishermen using LED bulbs at Loktak lake. The state forest and environment ministry said stern action will be taken against fishermen who used LED bulbs at Loktak Lake by night. Even though fishing is the main livelihood for the people around the lake, using LED bulbs disturbs the habitat of the several migratory birds.

State Forest and Environment Minister

State Forest and Environment Minister, Manipur, Th.Shyamkumar Singh, has advised fishermen to refrain from venturing into the lake at night at Loktak Lake. Thousands of migratory birds that mostly water fowls belonging to around sixty different species, are currently staying at the 237 sq km lake, the largest freshwater lake in the northeast.

Chief conservator of forest and environment, Anurag Bajpai said, “This new trend of fishing by night with the use of Chinese LED lights has drastically disturbed the migratory pattern of our feathered guests. Owing to this and lack of food, the birds are shifting to nearby safer climes. We cannot say now how many birds have shifted but we are planning to hold a counting exercise at Loktak in the latter part of this month.”